Science, math, engineering and technology, commonly referred to as STEM, are often touted as pathways for future career success although gender and racial gaps have long persisted in the fields. On Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 9:00 a.m. ET, Sandra Cauffman, deputy director for astrophysics at NASA, Valerie Sheares Ashby, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and other leading experts join Washington Post Live for conversations about the role of education, public policy and the private sector in building a diverse STEM workforce.
The U.S. alone faces a 1 million STEM worker shortage by the end of the decade. Yet statistics show women and diverse populations are underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. In a segment presented by Abbott, Dr. Beth McQuiston, Medical Director of Abbott’s Diagnostics division, STEMconnector CEO Jo Webber and Jomi Babatunde-Omoya, an Abbott STEM intern, discuss how reaching students with high school STEM internship opportunities can help address the STEM talent gap.